Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1887-07-22

/ EbiES VII ulOllt IOT IL blnOuE llle
peaks lying south and east of that wild
| canyon.
Il was used to roughing it. and man.
aged to End good place to camp every
night, aid scarcely a day passed that l
did not find some party, prospectors or
tourists. from whom l could obtain such
additions to my stores as were most
| needed.
''At last l struck into what seemed
disused trail leading south, and, follow
ing it. was rewarded by having such
views of mountain and valley scenery
given re as seldom fall to the lot of the
traveller. For a week l lounged along
the crests of the canyon, or by the side of
the streams that threaded them, keeping
my mark ON the trail by which l was to
return.
81 had been enjoying fine view from
a rounded peak. when a curious hollow
seated amid beetling crags attracted my
attention. determined at once to visit it.
Cautiously making my way down the
rough and almost precipitous path, l
came at last to the base of the cliff. This
cliff rose dark and gloomy above the
! fresh green sward that covered the bot
| tom land. \ clear stream purlel through
this, and one or two clumps of trees gave
a pleasant diversity to the scene.
Il was walking toward one of these
clumps when white object lying close
to the cliff. some little distance away, at
tracted my attention. The sunlight fell
on it and made it CLEAN with a strange
radiance. Changing the direction of my
course. | moved slowly toward the shin
ing object.
Il had become impressed with the
idea that the thing, whatever it might
prove to be, held power that would in
fluence my future. and you can therefore
| judge of the sensation that thrilled me
when / found that it was a skull, about
which clustered mass of the most
brilliant golden hair that had ever seen.
THE skeleton that was scattered about
it was evidently that of a small and deli
cate woman. The brilliancy of the hair
and the perfection of the teeth showed
that the bones were those of some young
woman who had probably met her fate
here. As stood gazing felt the influ-
ence of some sweet and lovely presence.
/ / felt none of that horror which we
usually experience when brought face to
face with the CHASTITY evidences of
death; in fact it did not seem death that
l was holding council with in this lonely
place, but life, impalpable, it is true, but
life that held a strange sweet power in its
keeping.
For a little time stood looking at the
hair which clustered about the white
skull, and then stopped and carefully gath
cred every thread of it that could find.
! I hat
escape though could give no reason for
this save an absorbing desire to possess
every vestige of this weirdly attractive
gold. Tenderly folding the tangles in
my handkerchief. l searched around for
some implement wherewith to dig
grave: and having found stick. with
this and my hands followed out mar
row trench in which / laid the skeleton.
In my search for every part of this, dis
covered heavy, plain gold ring, and this
was all the evidence left by which could
trace the unfortunate lady who had met
death here.
after repeating such parts of the
burial service of the Episcopal church as
| could remember, l covered the white
bones with grass and then filled the
trench with earth. marking the spot so
that should know it in case l wished to
find it again. l then began a swift re-
turn, for a strange desire to be in some
large city had come to me and hurried
me along.
Merely stopping to give orders con-
corning my luggage at the hotel where l
had left it, seated myself in the east
bound express, which was Just on the
point of leaving. and was soon speeding
away.
in week / was in New York, and
having supplied myself with less con-
spicuous suit than had been wearing, l
went out and walked slowly down
Broadway, going south of Union square,
The golden tresses that had found
among the far western mountains were
in my pocket, and a peculiar warmth
seemed to emanate from them. Whether
this influenced my wanderings l cannot
say. but l gave no heed to my steps, and
at last turned into street that ran east
ward. / soon came to a plain brick
house of three stories. l cannot tell the
name of the street, nor did look at the
number on the building. / only saw the
word 'Clairvoyant' in gilt letters on a
square sign by the door, and without
knowing why went up the steps and
rang the bell.
Il was admitted by neatly dressed
girl, and ushered into a small and COM
fortably furnished parlor.
" The professor will see you in few
minutes, said the girl, not asking me a
question. and then leaving me.
I'm five minutes she returned, and led
me into large, airy room at the back of
the house. The blinds of this room were
down and the light was dim, but saw
that the furniture consisted of a few
plain chairs and a table.
"a middle aged man was seated at the
latter. l noticed that he had rich,
healthy cold, dark eyes and hair, and
quick motions But | was not given
much time 70 think of his looks, for he
had scarcely finished his salutation before
, he extended his hands with eager haste,